Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2003 | 9:53 a.m.
Here are 10 questions to preview the 2003-04 girls' basketball season ...
1) Refresh me: What happened last year?
With pleasure. Girls' basketball in southern Nevada became very interesting in the playoffs, when prohibitive favorite Centennial lost to Bishop Gorman in the Sunset Region title game in a stunner. The Gaels reached that game thanks to a halfcourt buzzer beater from Moneka Knight that stifled an upset bid from Bonanza.
At state, southern Nevada girls pulled off their first sweep of first-round 4A games against the traditionally stronger teams from the Reno area. Centennial rebounded from its only in-state loss of the year to down Gorman for its second consecutive state championship.
2) Is Centennial the best team in the state again?
By far and without a doubt. Despite the one-day-at-a-time preachings of Centennial coach Karen Weitz, it is difficult to envision any other school being able to beat the Bulldogs in February. Centennial is already beating opponents by 60 points and that will not stop anytime soon.
3) What's the deal with those routs? Isn't it overkill?
Not really. Weitz only keeps about 10 varsity players and even the backups would be able to compete in town as their own team. So when Centennial builds up a big lead, emptying the bench is not exactly an option because all of the Bulldogs are very good players. By the time the game gets out of hand, Weitz is not pressing or attacking anymore -- most nights, it's just that the talent gap is that big.
4) Why is Centennial so good?
Weitz is a no-nonsense coach who runs a program that operates with Swiss-watch precision. Players in the Centennial program do not participate in other sports, and really, they would not have time if they wanted to because the team plays together at least 11 months per year.
While maintaining respect and fairness, Weitz demands execution and discipline from her players -- and she gets it. With Rachael Schein going to Arizona last year, the program is also proving itself capable of sending players to big-time colleges. Ranked 10th in the West by USA Today, Centennial is grabbing attention as a perennial power beyond Las Vegas.
5) OK, so does anyone have a chance to beat Centennial?
The favorite to do so is Bishop Gorman, if only because coach Sheryl Krmpotich's Gaels proved last year that they are capable of doing it. Gorman returns one of the state's top players in TCU-bound senior guard Moneka Knight, and the Gaels always have the size to match up in the paint.
Krmpotich holds fast to the belief that her team is good enough to compete with Centennial, and that confidence alone is more than most opponents bring against the Bulldogs.
6) What team will struggle to match last year's success?
It's a tie between Las Vegas and Western, two state semifinalists from last season who will be hard-pressed to return to the same heights this year.
The Wildcats lost center Melisa Cejas, an All-State performer in the post. No single player meant more to her team than Cejas, and the hole left behind is gaping. Las Vegas also lost emerging point guard Stacey Pena to Bonanza, and the Wildcats will now rely heavily on Kim Etol to carry them from the backcourt.
Western's fall is more surprising, with returning All-State second teamer Ra Chauna Randle ineligible to compete this year. With Randle's forward partner LaMesha Walker lost to graduation, Western descends from the elite down to a good pack of teams below.
7) What's up in northern Nevada?
It appears there will be a group of good, but maybe not great, teams in the North. The northern part of the state takes great pride in its girls' basketball, so a repeat of last year's total first-round wipeout is not likely.
Reed and Douglas should both be contenders, along with Galena, Fallon, McQueen, and Reno. There is no overwhelming superstar player to speak of, with All-State first team players like Galena's Joanna Hixon and Mineral County's Sidney Orndorff and Delicia Jernigan graduated.
8) Who are the best players in town?
The city is heavy on good guard play this season. Green Valley junior Jabrenta Hubbard is an ankle-breaking star in training, and the Centennial threesome of junior Ashley Blake, junior Whitney Price and senior Karissa Fernandez is the heartbeat of the Bulldogs. Cheyenne newcomer Tulyah Gaines signed with Notre Dame and Mojave's Sequoia Holmes is a UNLV signee who powers the Rattlers.
On par -- and maybe a notch above -- that crowd is Knight, who emerged as the Gaels' leader late last season. Knight can drive to the hoop and she controls the pace of the game as well. She belongs in any preseason player of the year discussion.
9) Any sleeper teams to watch out for?
It is important to qualify the term "sleeper." We are talking about teams that will be competitive, not necessarily threats to the throne.
That being said, keep an eye on Green Valley in the Southeast, with Chaparral, Las Vegas, and possibly Desert Pines fighting in the Northeast. The power, though, comes from the Sunset Region. Behind Centennial and Gorman -- the clear favorites in the Northwest and Southwest, respectively -- Bonanza should be capable of making noise, while Palo Verde and Cheyenne could be competitive as well.
10) Enough already ... who is going to win state?
It is not logical to pick against Centennial. The Bulldogs will make it three consecutive titles. It could be against Gorman once again, but it could just as likely be a northern opponent. It probably won't matter.
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